With the advent of technology there are many devices currently on the market for recording and playing back an audio and visual scene of a certain event. For example, home video recording machines provide the user with an opportunity to permanently record events that may otherwise exist only in still picture form or within someone's memory. To view the audio and visual recordings from these machines, one must replay the recording on a monitor. This method for viewing recorded scenes requires a certain amount of setup time, not to mention expensive video components, to begin viewing. These recorded scenes are thus not easily portable and are not always readily available for viewing. Often it is desirable to have continuous and instant viewing of certain memorable scenes. This is of course why particular pictures that may be especially pleasing or historic are often placed within a picture frame and mounted on a wall or placed on a shelf for long-term display. In this manner visual gratification is both instantaneous and continuous. In addition, still pictures placed within a frame provide a degree of transportability, or portability, not available with other means of recorded images. However, displaying such a picture along with an accompanying audio enhancement can be more desirable and effective at stimulating the memorable aspects of a picture without sacrificing the picture's portability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,246 issued to Jeng, et al. discloses a sound illustrated book containing various audio sounds corresponding to the printed matter found on the pages of the book. Photosensitive elements determine which page of the book is opened for viewing in order to select the particular sound portion associated with the page. Another patent which discloses a sound illustrated book is U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,092 issued to Cummings. In Cummings, a book is described having a self-contained power source and voice chips which are activated by depressing a mark on a given page. The audio unit produces synthesized sound corresponding to the words or pictures on the page. Both of these devices disclose audio enhanced books employing separate and distinct methods for selecting and playing the correct audio signal associated with a given portion of the book.
Still another talking or sound-illustrated book is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,881 issued to Brefka, et al. In Brefka, logical circuitry is used in conjunction with an infrared detecting means to generate start and stop signals corresponding to the turning of pages. These start and stop signals are then used to access audio information pertaining to a particular page of the book that may be open. A cassette recorder is used for playing the prerecorded information corresponding to an open page.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,029 issued to Kelley discloses an audio still camera system incorporating a specialized camera capable of recording both a photographic image and an associated audio signal. The camera uses a specialized photographic film having an integral acoustic recording medium. The sound recorded on the medium is that created during the time period in which the picture was taken. Playback of the audio portion of the photograph is accomplished by insertion of the photograph into either the camera itself or into a separate playback means.
In the disclosure of the now withdrawn U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,327 issued to Tarlow, et al., there is shown a digital recording and playback module system. Specifically, Tarlow shows a recording center used to permanently record an audio message onto a playback module containing a digital memory. The playback module can then be attached to one of several items including a picture to provide an audio component. The device disclosed in Tarlow requires the use of a cumbersome and relatively complex recording center and does not provide a method for creating a self-contained, audio-enhanced picture that is reusable. Furthermore, the invention described in Tarlow mandates that the recording take place at the time and location of the purchase. This requires that a live audible event be staged at the recording center, which eliminates any spontaneity associated with the recording, or that a prerecorded message be played, which leads to signal degradation.
Even in light of the attempts made in the prior art to combine the recording aspects of video and audio, there is no unitary device which provides a portable and reusable method for recording and playing an audio passage, or other sound segment associated with a still picture. Accordingly, there is a need for a self-powered talking picture frame or plaque containing an integral audio recording and playback device for use in enhancing a still video image.